Finding Family
by Bookworm8793
Summary: When NCIS arrests Jake's abusive father for murder, Jake ends up under Gibbs' protective eye. With the help of the rest of the team, the man who lost his family and the boy who never had one might be just the people each other need. Rated T for some discussion of child abuse.
1. Chapter 1: Jake

**This story doesn't require a ton of preface, just a warning for some discussion of child abuse. Nothing too heavy, but worth noting. As always, reviews are the best presents! Constructive criticism is welcome. Enjoy!**

Gibbs walked into the bullpen and dropped a stack of manila folders onto his desk. Tony, Ziva, and McGee jumped up immediately and stepped out from behind their desks. They'd been working on the murder of a Petty Officer David Johnson, who had been found shot in his apartment the previous afternoon. Gibbs had just delivered the bullet to Abby, who began tracing it right away.

"McGee, update."

Tim pulled up a picture on the screen. "Suspect is a former Petty Officer Michael Williams, retired six years ago, currently unemployed. Wife died just before he retired, and he's got a kid, Jake, about ten years old. He served with Johnson briefly, and they apparently had a pretty contentious relationship."

"Phone records indicate they'd been talking again recently, and he left several pretty angry messages on Johnson's phone over the two days before Johnson was killed," Ziva cut in. "Abby lifted his prints off several surfaces in the apartment, and we've got him on a security camera in the drug store down the street just before the time of the murder."

"Bring him in," Gibbs answered.

"He's on his way," McGee said. "Baltimore PD grabbed him trying to sneak beer out of a grocery store an hour ago. They should be here any minute."

"His kid's on the tape too, Boss," Tony said. "Problem is nobody seems to know where he is."

Ziva sat back down at her desk. "Even if he is not an accomplice in the murder, he will need to be located to place him with another guardian while his father is in custody."

Gibbs nodded. "McGee, see if you can find the kid. DiNozzo, David, downstairs with me."

The three agents rode down the elevator together in silence. Williams sat in the interrogation room, his hands folded on the table. Gibbs entered the room while Ziva and Tony stationed themselves behind the one-way mirror to observe. Gibbs dropped his file on the table and sat down. He slid a photograph of David Johnson across the table.

"You know this guy?"

Williams shrugged. "Served with him awhile. Why?"

"He's dead."

"Is he. Huh."

"Yeah. And you killed him."

Williams just laughed. "You big shots think you can just pin whatever you want on anybody. You got proof?"

"We've got footage of you on the same block just before the time of the murder," Gibbs answered. "Not to mention a bunch of angry messages on Officer Johnson's cell phone."

"That's a crime now, is it? Being on the same block where a murder's committed?"

"And we've got your fingerprints all over the crime scene."

The suspect's nonchalant expression turned to a glare. "You bastard."

"What was your problem with Johnson?" Gibbs asked, undeterred.

Williams sat back and crossed his arms. "I ain't saying nothing until I've got a lawyer," he said firmly.

Gibbs sighed and stood up. "Where's your kid?"

"You deaf, old man? Said I ain't saying nothing."

"Your son, Jake," Gibbs said irritably. "We've got to get ahold of him so we can get him someplace to stay while you're here."

"Let him rot in the streets. Same to me. Ain't saying nothing."

Gibbs slapped his folder against the table in frustration. "We're trying to put your kid somewhere safe!"

Williams just glared at him, arms crossed across his chest. Gibbs shoved his chair back under the table and stormed out of the room. Tony and Ziva followed him silently down the hallway and into the elevator.

"Good news, Boss," Tim said as they reentered the bullpen. "They found the kid. Police picked him up for shoplifting, they've got him down at the station."

Tony snorted. "Like father like son, huh?"

McGee ignored him. "We gotta go down and get him though, one suspect delivery's as much as we're going to get from them in one day. You want me to go?"

Gibbs shook his head and grabbed his keys from his desk. "I'll go down. You three keep digging, see if you can find anything else on Williams. And nobody goes in that interrogation room until I get back, understand?"

It took Gibbs fifteen minutes to get to the precinct. He walked up to the officer at the desk and flashed his badge.

"NCIS, Special Agent Gibbs. I'm coming to get Jake Williams."

The officer nodded and disappeared into the back. A moment later he emerged with a small, skinny boy with a mop of brown hair on his head. He looked up at Gibbs, his expression unreadable.

"Jake? I'm Special Agent Gibbs," Gibbs introduced himself again. "We've got your father back at headquarters. We need to bring you down as well."

Jake nodded. "Yes, sir."

Gibbs blinked. While he hadn't ever really thought a ten-year-old could be too much trouble, after the insults Williams Senior had dropped so casually, this docile and polite boy was the last thing he'd expected.

"You shouldn't have any trouble with him," the policeman said. "He's been perfectly cooperative since he's been here. Nice change from the usual shoplifters."

"What did he take?" Gibbs asked.

"Jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread," the officer answered, chuckling. "Also a change from usual."

Gibbs stared at the kid a moment before beckoning for him to follow him out to the car. Jake did so silently, climbing into the back seat when Gibbs opened the door.

"Jake, we've got your father in custody," Gibbs explained as they pulled back onto the road. "Do you know what that means?"

"Yes, sir."

"We think he's committed a serious crime. We're going to need to ask you some questions as well when we get back to headquarters, all right? Just some routine things we need to know about."

"Yes, sir."

Jake didn't speak again until they got back to headquarters. Gibbs walked him into the building and into one of the smaller conference rooms. There was no sense in intimidating the boy. He jerked his head at Tony as they passed the bullpen. The younger agent hurried to follow.

"Jake, this is Special Agent DiNozzo," Gibbs said as they sat down. "He's going to help me ask some of the questions. It's important that you answer them as truthfully as you can. Tell me, were you in school yesterday?"

Jake bit his lip. "Is my dad here?"

"We'll let you see your dad as soon as we can," Tony answered him. "That's not going to be for a little while, though. Right now we need you to answer Agent Gibbs' questions, okay?"

The boy glanced at the door nervously before looking back at Gibbs. "No, sir," he said finally. "I wasn't in school yesterday."

"Were you sick?" Gibbs asked.

"No, sir."

"Does your dad know you skipped class?" Jake chewed on his bottom lip again. "Jake, it's important you answer us truthfully," Gibbs prompted.

The boy looked down. "Yes, sir, he knows."

"Then why are you worried about getting in trouble?" Tony asked, confused.

"Dad says I'm not supposed to tell people I don't go to school."

Gibbs and Tony glanced at each other.

"What did you do yesterday?" Gibbs asked. "Tell us as much as you can remember."

"Did my chores at home," Jake answered. "Took about all morning. Dad woke up a little before lunch. Said I had to help him with some errands. We went to this drug store, not the one we usually go to, one farther away. We bought a bunch of stuff. He told me I had to take it home for him and he had some more errands to run. So I took the stuff back home."

"When did your father come back?"

"About an hour later, maybe. A long time."

"And what happened after that?" Jake looked down again. "Jake, remember we need you to help us here."

Jake nodded slowly. "Yes, sir. Dad came back home and asked where I put the stuff from the drug store. I'd put it away so he packed it back up and left."

"When did he come back?"

"He didn't, sir," Jake said. "I haven't seen him since yesterday. Only Dad says I'm not supposed to tell people he leaves me alone. Especially cops."

Gibbs shook his head. "Thank you for telling us. That helps us out a lot. We need you to wait here awhile, all right?"

Tony ripped the used pages off the top of his notepad and slid it across the table. "Here, you can hang onto this in case you want to draw or something. I don't have any crayons, but you can use the pen."

Jake took the notepad and both agents stood up and started for the door. Just as Gibbs turned the handle, the boy spoke.

"Is my dad in trouble?"

The two agents turned around. "Yeah," Gibbs said finally. "Your dad's in some trouble. We're going to work it out though, okay? And we're going to make sure you're well taken care of, no matter what happens."


	2. Chapter 2: Coming Home

**Thank you guys so much for your reviews! Please keep leaving whatever comments you have; it's really helpful to get feedback. Disclaimer for this chapter and the next: I know this is not how the foster care system works. I am making stuff up. I tried to make it believable enough that it doesn't distract from the story, but the fact of the matter was there really was no realistic way to get Jake into Gibbs' house. I hope you enjoy anyway.**

Gibbs sighed and flipped on his desk light. Of all the side effects of getting old, losing his eyesight was by far the most frustrating.

Abby had matched the bullet found in Johnson's chest to a gun registered to Michael Williams. They had found the gun in Williams' apartment with no fingerprints but his own. Gibbs couldn't say he had been sorry to see him leave, however loudly the former petty officer had been protesting when he did.

Gibbs looked up when Tony walked into the bullpen.

"Jake's downstairs with Abby, Boss," Tony said. "She's keeping him busy. He's a good kid, hasn't complained once since he's been here."

"Have you found his next of kin?"

"Nothing," Tony answered. "Williams is an only child, both parents dead. No record of any family on the mom's side. I think at this point he's going into foster care."

Gibbs sat back. He didn't know what it was about Jake, but he was worried about him. Maybe it was because he was so polite, or maybe it was because Williams was so dismissive of his son. Gibbs had little tolerance for people who didn't value their children while they could.

"All right, I'll go get him. Call up D'Arcy McKinna."

Gibbs rode the elevator down to Abby's lab. He found her standing over her computer with Jake up on a tall stool. She was talking a mile a minute, explaining every piece of equipment across the desk.

"Having fun?"

Abby and Jake both turned around. Jake jumped down from the stool immediately.

"Aww, Gibbs, does he have to go already?"

Gibbs nodded. "Sorry, Abs, it's time." He turned to Jake. "We've been trying to figure out where you're going for awhile," he said. "We couldn't find any family members. Is there someone we missed?"

The boy shook his head. "It's just me and my dad," he said.

"All right. In that case, you'll be placed with a foster family while your dad's in custody," Gibbs explained. "Once McGee gets off the phone, I'll run you down to the child services office."

Jake swallowed hard. "I'm sorry I told you about skipping school," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "And about how Dad leaves me alone. I was trying to be good, I promise..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Gibbs took a step toward the boy. "You did just what you were supposed to. What's this all about?"

"Dad says only bad kids get put in foster care."

"Ah." Gibbs nodded once. "Did he tell you that's where you'd go if you told us about school?"

Jake nodded.

Gibbs squatted down so his face was level with the kid's. "Well, your dad was probably right. Foster families take in kids who don't have someone to look after them. If the state found out your dad wasn't taking good care of you, they'd want to put you with someone who would. But it's not a punishment. It's to help you."

Jake bit his lips together. "Yes, sir." He didn't look reassured.

"Listen," Gibbs said after a minute. "It's getting late. The office is closed right now anyway. Someone would have to come in to meet you, and then they wouldn't have much time to find you a family. What if you stayed with me, just for tonight?"

"Can I?"

Gibbs smiled. "Come on upstairs and we'll call the office back. We'll see if they can clear me to keep you for the night. Abs, you coming?"

"I got a few things to finish up," she replied. "I'll see you tomorrow."

McGee looked up when Gibbs and Jake entered the bullpen. "I talked to D'Arcy, Boss," he said. "She offered to come pick him up, but she's going to need about twenty minutes to make some calls first, see if they can find a family right away."

"Call her back," Gibbs ordered. "Ask her if there's any way I'd be cleared to keep him for the night. He's feeling nervous about the foster home."

Tim glanced at Jake but didn't argue. He picked up the phone and dialed.

"D'Arcy? Hey, it's me again. Have you found anyone yet? No, no that's actually good. I've got an odd request. Gibbs wants to know if he could be cleared to take Jake for tonight. Yeah, he's feeling kind of uneasy about it, I think he'd be more comfortable with someone he knows. Sure, go ahead."

He tipped the phone away from his face and covered the mouthpiece. "She's checking your file," he told Gibbs.

Gibbs nodded once and glanced at Jake. The kid was shifting from foot to foot, chewing on his lower lip.

"Yeah?" McGee put the phone back up to his mouth when D'Arcy's voice returned. "Great. Okay, thank you so much. Talk to you soon."

He hung up the phone and stood up. "Says you're cleared to keep him tonight, Boss," he said, turning off his desk lamp and picking up his coat. "Emergency placement sort of thing. We're supposed to give her a call first thing tomorrow so she can work out where to go from here."

"Thanks, McGee." Gibbs turned to Jake. "You ready to go?"

"Yes, sir."

"We'll stop by Target on the way home," Gibbs said as they waved goodbye to McGee at the bottom of the elevator and headed for his car. "Get you some pajamas and a toothbrush."

When the got to the store, Jake followed close at Gibbs' heels. He was reluctant to speak at first, but after some prodding, he picked out a pair of plaid flannel pajama pants and a blue t-shirt. He stared a long time at the large rack of toothbrushes before picking out a red one with a smiley-face on the handle. Gibbs also bought him a second pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a green sweatshirt.

They put the bags in the car and drove back to Gibbs' house. He led the boy inside and took him upstairs to one of the spare bedrooms.

"You can stay in here tonight," he said. "You hungry?"

"Yes, sir."

"You like pizza? We got a place down the road that delivers fast at night." Jake nodded. "What do you want on it?"

"Pepperoni?" Jake asked hesitantly.

Gibbs smiled. "One pepperoni pizza coming up. I'll go call it in."

He went back down to the kitchen and called the pizza place before going into his bedroom and changing into jeans and a sweatshirt. When he came out, he found Jake sitting on the couch. The boy had also changed into his new pajamas. He stood up when Gibbs came in.

"You want to put on a movie or something?"

Jake shrugged.

"There are a few under the TV if you feel like it."

The kid went over to the shelf under the television. He glanced back up at Gibbs. "You still have videotapes?"

Gibbs laughed. "I don't get along so well with technology," he said. "They still work fine, I promise."

Jake looked doubtful, but he turned back to the shelf and began looking through the plastic cases. The doorbell rang, and Gibbs left the room to answer it. He paid for the pizza and brought the box back into the kitchen. Jake came in as Gibbs was getting plates from the cupboard.

"You want to eat in here, or take it in to start the movie?"

"I can eat on the couch?"

"Sure."

Jake grinned and put two slices of pizza on his plate. He hurried back into the living room and climbed onto the couch. Gibbs sat beside him. Jake had put _Aladdin_ in the VCR and sped forward through the previews.

"You like Disney?" Gibbs asked.

Jake nodded and swallowed the bite of pizza he'd been chewing. "I like just about anything, sir."

Gibbs laughed. "You should talk to DiNozzo," he replied.

"You got mostly kids' movies, though, which is why I picked Disney," Jake continued. "You got kids?"

Gibbs looked away. "I used to."

"They grow up?"

"Something like that." Gibbs picked up the remote and pressed play.


	3. Chapter 3: Safety

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! Here's the next chapter. Again, I know very little about the foster care system, and I am making stuff up. Hopefully it doesn't require too much suspension of disbelief. Please let me know what you think!**

Gibbs woke up early the next morning. He peeked into Jake's room on his way downstairs. The kid was still sound asleep. They had watched until the end of the movie, by which time Jake had eaten his way through four slices of pizza. Gibbs wondered if the kid was simply a human garbage can. Easing the bedroom door closed again, he went into the kitchen and began a batch of pancakes. He was just ladling the first one into the pan when Jake appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. His shaggy hair stuck up in all directions.

"Morning," Gibbs said.

"Good morning, sir."

"Sleep all right?"

Jake nodded.

"Good. These are almost done. Go grab a plate, and there's syrup in the fridge if you want it."

The boy took both out and set them next to the stove.

"Want to flip?" Gibbs asked, handing Jake the spatula.

Jake slid the spatula carefully under the pancake and flipped it over.

"Expertly done," Gibbs laughed.

Jake grinned. "I'm good at pancakes," he said.

Gibbs paused. "You cook a lot?"

Jake shrugged without looking up as he flipped the rest of the pancakes. "Some. I don't know how to make a lot. Pancakes are easy 'cause the instructions are on the box. Otherwise I usually just have peanut butter sandwiches."

"What about your dad, does he cook?"

Jake shook his head. "He likes takeout. Sometimes I make him pancakes too, but he doesn't like those so much."

Gibbs shook his head. No wonder the kid was so scrawny, if he was subsisting on a diet of carbs and peanuts. He set both plates of pancakes on the table and sat down. Jake followed and began eating.

"I've got to go into work again today," Gibbs said. "When you're finished eating, go get dressed. It's not the most interesting place in the world, but it's going to have to do for now. We'll get McGee back on the phone to see if we can place you somewhere more permanent."

Jake just looked down and nodded.

Gibbs and Jake arrived at the station just in time to see Tony toss a crumpled-up piece of paper at McGee, hitting him square in the temple. Tim rounded on him but stopped when he saw Gibbs.

"Having fun, DiNozzo?"

Tony spun around. "Hey, Boss," he replied, trying to sound casual. "Um, Ducky was looking for you, said to send you down when you got here."

Gibbs nodded. "You stay up here," he told Jake. "I'll be back in a bit."

Jake turned to Tony as Gibbs disappeared into the elevator. "Agent Gibbs says you like movies, sir," he said nervously.

"Never shuts up about them," McGee grumbled.

"Kid, you are looking at NCIS's official movie buff," Tony said. "Trust me, with these guys around, we need one."

Jake allowed himself a small smile. "We watched _Aladdin_ last night," he said.

Tony nodded approvingly. "Classic underdog tale, great music. And Robin Williams? Well chosen, kid."

Jake grinned. "What's your favorite movie?"

"I could never pick just one!" Tony protested. "There are too many. You got a favorite?"

"My dad just had a couple DVDs, so I haven't seen that much," Jake said. "I like ones with a lot of action though."

"I bet you're a _Star Wars_ fan, huh?"

"I dunno, sir."

Tony's eyebrows shot up. Tim and Ziva both rolled their eyes. "You mean you've never seen _Star Wars_?"

"No, sir."

"Well, we've got to fix that right away," Tony replied. "And you don't have to call me 'sir.' My name's Tony, or you can call me Very Special Agent DiNozzo if you really want to. That's Ziva David, and the geek over there is Tim McGee."

"Excuse me, is Agent Gibbs here?"

McGee stood up as D'Arcy McKinna entered the bullpen, accompanied by a tall woman with blonde hair.

"Hey, D'Arcy. Gibbs is down with Ducky right now, you want me to go get him?"

D'Arcy shook her head. "That's all right. Is this Jake?" She looked the boy over. "My name's D'Arcy McKinna. I'm a social worker. That means it's my job to help place kids in homes that will be loving and safe."

Jake looked up at her uneasily. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am."

"This is Dr. Patterson," D'Arcy said, turning back to McGee and gesturing to the blonde woman. "She's a child psychologist who helps us place children in homes that will be right for them. Is it all right if we talk to Jake alone for a bit?"

"Sure, I'll take you up to the conference room," McGee offered. "And I'll let Gibbs know you're here so you can talk to him as soon as your done."

Tim led D'Arcy and Dr. Patterson upstairs. Jake followed reluctantly.

"He seem okay?" Tony asked when McGee returned.

Tim nodded. "Nervous, but I think he'll be all right. They know what they're doing talking to kids like him."

The team worked in relative silence for about fifteen minutes before Gibbs returned. McGee had just finished explaining to him what Jake was doing when the boy reentered the bullpen with the two women. Gibbs caught the look in D'Arcy's eye as she approached him.

"Jake, why don't you go down and visit Abby for awhile?" Gibbs asked. "She was asking for you."

D'Arcy waited until Jake had disappeared before drawing Gibbs aside to talk.

"How is he?"

The social worker shrugged. "All things considered, not too bad," she said. "As sad as it is, what he's been through isn't nearly as serious as it could have been. I think what he needs most is an environment where he can feel safe. He's very worried about going into a foster home. I explained to him that it isn't any different from staying with you, but I'm not sure he believed me."

"The anxiety about being sent away is pretty deeply ingrained," Dr. Patterson explained. "I worry that placing him among strangers would be counterproductive as far as allowing him to let his guard down and relax."

Gibbs furrowed his brow. "What are you saying?"

D'Arcy sighed. "It's highly irregular," she admitted. "But honestly, we believe the best thing for Jake would be to continue living with you. He trusts you, Agent Gibbs, and he's not very used to trusting people."

"I'm not a foster parent," Gibbs protested.

"And I completely understand if you're unwilling to take him on," D'Arcy replied. "It is a large commitment we're asking of you."

Gibbs shook his head. "That's not what I meant," he said. "Am I authorized to keep him?"

"Technically, no. But as someone with a working relationship with Child Services, we can get you certified at an accelerated rate while Jake is already living with you. We'll need to make frequent home visits until you are certified, just to ensure his safety, but sometimes the extra work is worth it for the benefit of the child. If you're willing to keep him, we're willing to do what it takes."

Gibbs found Jake trailing Abby doggedly through her lab as she catalogued evidence. The boy looked up when he came in.

"D'Arcy McKinna just left," Gibbs told them.

Jake swallowed. "What did she say, sir?"

"She said that she wants you to continue living with me for the time being. That is, if that's what you want."

The boy only stared. After a moment, his face broke into a grin. "Thank you, sir," he said. "I'd like that very much. Thank you."


	4. Chapter 4: Uncle Tony

**I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update. I'm still not quite sure where this story is going, so new chapters might come slowly for awhile. This one's a bit shorter, but it felt right to end it where I did. Please let me know what you think!**

"Hey guys."

The team looked up as Palmer came into the bullpen, his bag in one hand and a giant Caf-Pow in the other. Gibbs was in a meeting with Director Vance, and in the meantime Tony had been keeping Jake busy showing him clips of his favorite movies online.

"Started sleeping in, Autopsy Gremlin?" Tony asked.

Palmer shook his head. "Somebody dented our car last week, and the insurance company's being a real pain. Ducky gave me the morning off to deal with them."

"And you've started drinking Caf-Pows now?" Ziva asked.

Palmer laughed. "No, this one's for Abby. She texted me right before I left; apparently it's been a rough morning already." He looked down at Gibbs' new ward. "You must be Jake."

"Yes, sir."

"Jake, this is James Palmer," Ziva said.

"Also known as the Autopsy Gremlin," Tony cut in.

"Jimmy, Jake," Ziva continued as if she hadn't heard. "I assume you know already he's staying with Gibbs."

Palmer laughed again. "Yeah, I'd heard. I'm impressed; I'd be way too nervous to live with him."

"Lucky thing Jake's so brave, then," Gibbs said dryly, striding into the bullpen and sitting down at his desk.

Palmer's face turned white as Tony, Ziva, and Tim tried to hide their smiles.

"I, um, better get downstairs," Jimmy stammered.

"Actually I've got something I need you to take a look at first," McGee interrupted.

Ziva raised her eyebrows. "Ah, then it will be you who is to blame when Abby comes searching for her caffeine," she teased.

Gibbs nodded at Jake. "Will you take it down for her?" He stood as McGee pulled up an image on the big screen.

Jake took the giant cup from Palmer, holding it in two hands to keep it steady. As he turned, the toe of his sneaker snagged the carpet and he went sprawling to the floor. The lid of the Caf-Pow snapped off, splattering cherry-red liquid all over Gibbs' shoes and pants.

Jake swallowed hard as he looked up and saw the mess. "I'm sorry, sir," he stammered, shrinking back. "I didn't mean it, please, sir, I'm sorry..."

Gibbs cut him off. "Are you okay?"

He reached down to help the kid up, and Jake flinched.

Gibbs knelt down next to him. "Hey, I'm not angry with you. Are you all right?"

Jake nodded. Gibbs saw that tears had already started to form in the corner of his eyes, and he was struggling to breath properly.

"Yes, sir, I'm sorry, sir."

"Rule number six, kid," Gibbs said gently. He held out his hand, and Jake reluctantly took it. They both stood. "I'm going to go change. McGee, brief Palmer."

"Yes, Boss."

"You okay, kid?" Tony asked as Gibbs left the bullpen.

Jake nodded. "Yes, sir. I mean, Agent DiNozzo." He paused for a second and took a deep, shaky breath. "What's rule number six?"

"Never apologize," McGee answered. "It's a sign of weakness."

"McGeek, while you're briefing Palmer and Ziva, why don't I run out for Abby's caffeine fix?" Tony suggested. "Come on, kid, you can ride along."

Jake followed Tony to the elevator. As they rode down to the garage, the senior field agent surveyed the boy.

"He really wasn't angry, you know," he said finally, as the doors opened and they headed for Tony's car. "He knows you didn't mean it. And all of us keep a change of clothes around the office for late nights and stuff."

Jake nodded and climbed into the passenger seat.

"My dad used to knock me around for stuff like that too," Tony said lightly, pulling out of the parking space. "Old man had a swing like you wouldn't believe. But Gibbs isn't like that."

Jake looked at his knees. "It's not so bad, not always," he said quietly. "Sometimes I think getting hit's better than being ignored."

Tony laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, I get that too." He glanced over at his passenger. "You really okay? You didn't hurt yourself?"

"I might've skinned my elbow a little." Jake rolled up the sleeve of his sweatshirt to look. "It's a kinda red, but it's not bleeding or anything."

"Good. Listen, kid, you tell us when you get hurt, okay? It's hard at first, but it gets easier, I promise. That's part of the deal with Gibbs; he can be kind of scary, but he takes care of his own. You gotta be honest about how you're doing."

Jake nodded. "I guess Agent Gibbs is kind of like a new dad to you too, huh? Except a nice kind, that doesn't get so mad."

Tony chuckled. "Yeah, he is. I guess that makes you and me kind of like brothers, doesn't it?"

Jake wrinkled his nose. "I think you're kind of old to be my brother."

At this, Tony laughed outright. "Fair enough. Maybe more like an uncle, then."

Jake nodded. "Uncle Tony. I think I like that."

"I think I do too, kid."


End file.
